National Museum of Nature and Science

Many displays and interactive rooms for children of all ages.

7-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8718
03 5777 8600

• 5 min. walk from JR Ueno Station, Park Exit
• 10 min. walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Hibiya Line Ueno Station
• 10 min. walk from Keisei Line Keisei Ueno Station

Many parking lots are available in the area but they can get busy on weekends.
Open 9am to 5pm Tuesday - Sunday. If Monday is a national holiday, the Museum is open Monday and closed the following Tuesday. Also closed every year end December 28 to January 1.

www.kahaku.co.jp

A nursing station for nursing mothers is located on the floor B1 of the Japan Gallery, behind the Lounge. Baby beds are found on each floor of the Global Gallery, in the ladies' and disabled-persons' washrooms; and on floor B1 of the Japan Gallery, in the nursing station and disabled persons' washroom in the Lounge. 4 strollers are available for borrowing at the Central Information Desk at the entrance.

Crawling:

Walking:

2-5 years:

5-10 years:

Cost: ¥600 for adults and free for high school students or younger.
Stroller Friendly: Yes
Baby Changing Area: Yes
Feeding Room: Yes
Child Friendly Restaurant: Yes
Rainy Weather Option: Yes
Party Venue: Yes

How to Find a Park in Tokyo

Now that the weather is cooling down, between typhoons it is a fantastic time to enjoy the parks with your kids. Here are 2 English sites where you can find some of the better known and larger parks around Tokyo.

Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association
Tokyo Metropolitan Parks and Gardens List

My favourites are:
Rinshinomori in Meguro-Ku
Kasai Rinkai in Edogawa-Ku
Mukojima-Hyakkaen in Sumida-Ku

Tokyo Picnic

September 24-25, 2011.
A mega, record breaking picnic will be held in Tachikawa, to get people together for eating, drinking, chatting, socialising. Tokyo Picnic is a free (excluding park entry costs) event taking place at Showa Kinen Park in mid September, and it's open to absolutely everyone. Just like any picnic,you are invited to bring your own bentos, though a small selection of organic food will be available at the event.

The park has lots of fun, everyday activities for the family including:

• A 14 kilometre cycling track, bicycles can be hired all year round.
•  Pedal boats and row boats can be hired all year except in winter.
• Putt putt golf.
• Disk golf can be rented.
• Petanque hire.
• Croquet hire.
• Lawn bowls.
• Horseshoe hire (BYO horse).
• Futsal court hire.
• 3 on 3 court hire.
• BBQ hire

Location: Showa Kinen Park, 3173 Midori-machi, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo

Phone: 042 528 1751

Train: Nishi-Tachikawa station (Ohme line)

Hours: 10am-5pm, Sep 24-25.

Website: www.tokyopicnic.jp (Japanese)
Showa Kinen Park Website (English)

Baby facilities: There are baby beds, changing facilities and hot water available, please ask staff. You can also rent strollers at the Tachikawa, Nishi Tachikawa and Sunagawa gates for 150 yen.

Crawling:

Walking:

2-5 years:

5-10 years:

Cost: Adults over 15 400 yen, Children 6-15 years 80yen, children under 6 free, seniors over 65 200 yen.

Stroller Friendly: Yes
Baby Changing Area: Yes
Feeding Room: No
Child Friendly Restaurant: No
Rainy Weather Option: No
Party Venue: Yes

Kid-O-Kid Bornelund

A Large playroom full of Bornelund toys and activities including a jumping castle and bouncy runway. You will also find dressing up clothes, kitchen set-up, a 0-2 babies play area, a train set, and a huge ball pool with climbing frames and slides.

Location: Kanagawa-ken, Kawasaki-shi, Kawasaki-ku, Nisshincho 1-11, Kawasaki Le Front Building 9th Floor. See image here.

Phone: 045-650-1231 (Will work in most navi's)

Train Station: Kawasaki station

Parking: Only 25min drive from Minato-ku, Tokyo. It is a major shopping area with lots of parking available in the area.

Hours: 10:30 - 19:00（18:00 last entry）

Website: http://www.bornelund.co.jp/asobi/kidokid.html (Japanese Only)

Baby facilities: Changing and feeding room available

Crawling: Specific area for crawling babies.

Walking:

2-5 years:

5-10 years:

Cost: Children from 6 months to 12 years are 600 yen per 30min, over 12 years are 300 yen per 30min.
Stroller Friendly: Can be left at the front
Baby Changing Area: Yes
Feeding Room: Yes
Child Friendly Restaurant: Yes
Rainy Weather Option: Yes
Party Venue: Yes

Other Kid-o-Kid locations are:

1-1-17 Nishi Arai Sakaecho, Adachi-ku Tokyo 03-5888-6081
3-4-31 Minamisuna, Koto-Ku Tokyo 03-5677-0550
1-1-2 Utsukushigaoka, Aoba-ku Yokohama 045-482-4800 
Lalaport Tokyo Bay 2-1-1 Hama-cho, Funabashi, Chiba-ken 047-421-7790
4-6-5 Minatomarai, Yokohama 045-650-1231 

See the website (Japanese only) with the full list here. 

National Children's Castle "Kodomo no Shiro"

The purpose of the Castle is to offer a place where children can develop healthy, happy, energetic, sound minds and body. To meet these goals, the Castle endeavors to provide artistic, athletic, healthy, inventive, imaginative and cultural opportunities that challenge and encourage the individual potentials in each child.

Location: 5-53-1 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001

Phone: 03-3797-5666

Train:
From Shibuya Station, walk up Miyamasu-zaka past the Shibuya Post Office towards Aoyama Dori (R246) and Aoyama University. The Castle will be on your LEFT.
From Omotesando Station, take the B2 Exit, walk past OVAL Building, towards Shibuya along Aoyama Dori (R246). The Castle will be on your RIGHT, near the overhead crossing.

Bus: Buses from Shibuya Station for Shinbashi Station Kitaguchi stop across from Aoyama Gakuin University.

Parking: Paid parking is available in the building, but space is limited. 300 yen / 30 minutes. Many coin lots are available in the area.

Hours: Vary each day. See here for details.

Website: http://www.kodomono-shiro.com/english/index.shtml (English)

Baby facilities: Feeding and changing area's available.

Crawling:

Walking:

2-5 years:

5-10 years:

Cost: Age 3-17 400 yen, Age 18 and over 500 yen.
Stroller Friendly: Yes
Baby Changing Area: Yes
Feeding Room: Yes
Child Friendly Restaurant: No
Rainy Weather Option: Yes
Party Venue: No